Meeting Growing Demand; Sweet potato workshop teaches growers how to produce and manage popular crop
Sweet potatoes are a popular food across the United States and the world. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that American consumption of sweet potatoes has almost doubled since the late 1990s, and the U.S.' annual value of sweet potato exports grew from $14 million to $187 million between 2001 and 2021. Sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients and fiber and have an established place in cultural and traditional dishes, healthy lifestyles and a variety of diets. This flexible, resilient crop has low input requirements and can grow in sandy soils and small spaces, as long as it receives plenty of sunlight. While neighboring state North Carolina is the leading producer for the United States' massive sweet potato market, Virginia producers have an opportunity to meet growing local demand. As the sweet potato industry in Virginia evolves, Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) at Virginia State University (VSU) works to put knowledge into action to help commercial, small-scale and backyard growers learn to produce, manage and market sweet potatoes.
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On Friday, July 18, Dr. Leonard Githinji, professor and Extension specialist for sustainable and urban agriculture, hosted a sweet potato workshop and field day at VSU's Randolph Farm. This all-day event was an opportunity to bring science-based best practices to growers of all kinds at the ground level. "The challenge in Virginia is that we're not producing enough sweet potatoes," says Dr. Githinji. "There's high demand at farmers' markets, and almost every grocery store in Virginia carries them and sells them pretty quickly. It all starts with growers getting the information they need to grow and market sweet potatoes, and that's why we are here today with this workshop, so we can share that knowledge and help our growers succeed."
Some of the biggest challenges of growing sweet potatoes are deer browse on vine foliage and weed infestation. Dr. Githinji and his team set out to test real solutions that growers can easily replicate in their operations. This year, they grew 22 rows of 10 different sweet potato varieties using a sustainable, herbicide-free method of weed control. This involved installing a weed fabric over and between the rows, and burning holes through it with a butane torch every two feet, in which they planted the sweet potato slips. Program assistant Kenya Leftridge says, "It's been very effective at combating weeds. Even after significant rainfall, when we would typically have lots of weeds in our aisles and rows, we've barely had any."
The workshop had 70 registrants from various parts of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Dr. Githinji and his team provided accurate information on the best ways to grow sweet potato slips, condition requirements, sweet potato varieties, as well as proven methods for pest and field management. Alexander Fernandez, one of Dr. Githinji's summer interns, provided tours and an understanding of sweet potatoes to workshop participants. He observed that most participants came from small farms or were backyard vegetable gardeners looking to learn what it takes to grow sweet potatoes. "Sweet potatoes are hearty and versatile, and enjoy sandier soils than most other crops," says Fernandez. "I recommend having at least three to four square feet to grow them, but you can even grow certain varieties in pots."
Workshop attendee Shay Stewart is an urban farmer based in Hampton, who this year is taking over the sweet potato operation from senior farmer Cliff Slade of Surrey. "This season, he gifted me the entire seed stock for me to get my operation going," says Stewart. "This workshop opportunity just goes hand in hand, and it's meant to be." Over the eight-hour workshop, Stewart gleaned valuable information about all aspects of producing and managing sweet potatoes. As an organic farmer, she cites learning about pest management as the most impactful portion, but she had yet another key takeaway. "In my journey as a sweet potato farmer, I'm looking forward to mastering the art of value-added products," says Stewart. From juices to breads and inspired vinaigrettes, there are abundant opportunities to create marketable sweet potato products.
Like many participants, Stewart is no stranger to Extension workshops at VSU that educate and empower growers like herself. "I've done a few courses at VSU, and there was a lot of information today that I didn't expect but probably should have, knowing the different types of programs VSU hosts for producers," she says. In an ever-changing agricultural landscape, VCE at VSU is working to advance the wellbeing of Virginia and support growers' needs with access to information and hands-on learning opportunities with experts. "Anybody can grow sweet potatoes," says Dr. Githinji. "We have commercial, small-scale and backyard growers who are interested in producing sweet potatoes. And we are here to help all of them, in every capacity, learn to produce."
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